Western Province

Home to the lakeside resorts of Lake Kivu and Nyungwe rainforest, combining lake and mountain scenery with forest hikes.

Western Province lies in western Rwanda, facing the Democratic Republic of the Congo across Lake Kivu, and is mountainous. Rubavu (Gisenyi), Karongi (Kibuye) and Rusizi are lakeside resort towns on Lake Kivu, where you can take boat trips and enjoy views of the lake's islands. Nyungwe Forest National Park in the south is a montane rainforest reserve in Africa, with chimpanzee tracking and a canopy walkway. The Congo Nile Trail runs along the lakeshore and is good for hiking or cycling. The dry season is the best time to travel. The province can be reached by road from Kigali, and Rusizi has Kamembe Airport.

Destinations

• Nyungwe Forest & Huye
• Gisenyi & Lake Kivu

Itineraries

• Southern Royal Palace, Nyungwe Forest & Kibuye – Visit the royal palace and museums on the way to Nyungwe rainforest, then head to Kibuye to enjoy Lake Kivu.
• Rwanda Grand Loop – Connect Akagera, Volcanoes National Park, Kibuye, Nyungwe, and the southern Royal Palace.